Tufted fabric and method of making the same



A. S. RIVIERE Oct. 13, 1931.

TUFTED FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKlNG THE SAME Filed Sept. 20, 1928 Patented Oct. 13, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICIEI ALBERT S. BIVIERE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS TUFTED FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Application filed September 20, 1928. Seljial No. 307,160.

I The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a tufted fabric, that is, a fabric wherein substantially the entire surface is covered with tufts, and the method of making the same.

v to be held to the fabric base.

therewith thread on the under face of the fabric base.

A further object of the invention is to pro-- vide a method of producing a tufted fabric of the above character wherein the tufts may be applied to the supporting base by means of an eye-pointed needle threaded with the tufting thread and the individual tufts formed by a severing of the thread between the needle punctures in the fabric base.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a sectional view through a tufted fabric embodying the invention, the view being taken through successive needle punctures. I 1 Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view through the fabric showing the method of making the same. I c

The invention is directed to a tufted fabric whichincludes a fabric base and a plurality of tufts attached thereto so as to substantially cover the upper face of the fabric base. Each tuft consists of a short thread length bent intermediate its ends and extending through an opening in the fabric base. The loop portion extending through the fabric base is secured to the fabric base by a looper thread which is formed into loops and interlocked with the projecting looped ends of the tufting threads. The tufted fabric is preferably formed by the use of an eye-pointed needle which is threaded with a tufting thread. The needle passes through the fabric base and a threaded looper interlocks the loop formed by the needle in the tufting thread in the well known manner.

The tufting thread between needle punctures is laid over a former which determines the length of the tuft. The thread is cut midway between the needle punctures and this leaves the free ends of the tufting thread so that there is a short length of tufting thread bent intermediate its ends at each stitch for mation passing through the fabric and secured thereto by the looper thread on the under face of the fabric.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the tufted fabric consists of a fabric supporting base 1. Secured to this fabric base is a series of tufts. Each tuft is formed from a short length of tufting thread bent intermediate its ends to form a loop 2. This loop is passed through an opening 3 in the fabric base and the loop issecured on the under face of the fabric base by a looper thread 4 interlooped therewith in the usual Way. On tho upper face of the fabric each tuft includes two tuftingstrands 5 and 6 and the upper ends of these strands are free. These tufting strands in the finished fabric are comparatively close together and are matted together in a surface covering for the fabric base.

This tufted fabric is preferably formed on a sewing machine by means of an we pointed needle 7 and a cooperating threaded looper 8. The needle forms the opening 3 and passes a loop of tufting thread through the opening. The looper 8 passes into the loop formed by the needle'in the tufting thread and'thus it is that a tufting loop is locked to the fabric base by a looped locking thread. Associated with the needle and looper is a former plate 9, which may be of any desired COIlSt! uction. This former plate is so positioned that the tufting threadbe tween needle punctures is laid over the former plate. Thus it is that the tufting thread is provided with tufted lengths above the fabric base. When they are first laid they are in the form of a loop. This former, however, is provided with a cutting edge which -engages the tuftin'g thread midway between the points where the thread passes through the punctures in the fabric base, and this severs the tufting thread so as to provide free ends indicated at 10, in the drawings. 'There is shown in a copending application, Serial Number 291,550,-filed July 10, 1928, a machine 0 pable of accomplishing the method which is described. In this machine 10 the needle is vibrated laterally so that it loops in succession, inserting the loops as formed through a fabric base at closely spaced points in a zig-zag line, securing a formed loop in a tufting thread by a succeeding loop formed in a tufting thread,'and subsequently severing the thread between the formed and locked loops .to form tufts.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

I ALBERT S. RIVIERE.

passes first on one side of the former 9 and then on .th'eother side of the former 9. Other ways may be devised for. laying the thread length between the needle punctures over a measuring device which measures the tufted lengths and presents the same to a severing device for severing the tufting thread midway between the needle punctures.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings the needle punctures are shown in a zigzag row and this indicates the article which would be produced i 4 on the machine in the application referred to, and also the method which would be car ried out by said machine. The invention, however, is not limited to the vibrating of the needle laterally, nor the particular construction of the former and severing device set'forth in the application. The essential feature consists in the inserting of the loops in a tufting thread through a fabric base and the securing of the loop by some loclzing means and the severing of the tufting thread midway between the loop formations there- 1. A tufted fabric comprising a fabric base, tufting thread lengths looped midway between their ends and extending through the openings in the fabric base at closely spaced intervals-in a zig-zag line, the loop in one tufting thread length being secured to the fabric base by the next formed loop in a tufting thread length.

2., A tufted fabric comprising a base, tuft- 65 ing thread lengths. looped midway between their ends and extending through openings in the fabric base in closely spaced rows at closely spaced intervals in a zig-zag line, and

a locking thread for each row of loops formed into loops extending through one of the loops in the tufting thread and secured by the next adjacent loop in the tufting thread.

3. The method of making tufted fabrics consisting in forming a tufting thread into 

